


Toads

by Anonymous



Category: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/F, supportive girlfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-22
Updated: 2017-03-22
Packaged: 2018-10-09 06:24:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10405923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: It's day of the opening night of Il Muto, and Carlotta is late.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [ConvenientAlias](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConvenientAlias/pseuds/ConvenientAlias) in the [phandom_meme](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/phandom_meme) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> So like in canon we have Carlotta losing her voice (though only due to Phantomly manipulations) and Christine taking her place in the opera, but what if Carlotta lost her voice and couldn't perform due to a really bad cold/flu? Forget the opera, Christine has to take care of her sick girlfriend.  
> Extra Points If:  
> -Christine also gets a cold  
> -Christine doesn't get a cold but doesn't want to sing because she doesn't want to leave Carlotta's side  
> -Carlotta's cold is the Phantom's fault and Christine is pissed.

It was the day of the opening night of Il Muto. Everyone was already there, finishing the last details before the performance. André and Firmin watched, nervous. Everyone was there, except for the star. La Carlotta was late.  
The last note came back to the managers' minds. A disaster beyond imagination, it said. What if Carlotta didn't show up? She received notes too. Could she be too scared by them?  
Christine was watching the chorus rehearsing some parts one last time. Her part was a little bigger than the others she had before, but it was silent. It saddened her that she wouldn't get to sing, but it was still a part and it would help her career. Besides, the last happenings left her scared, scared of the presence that lurked beneath the opera house. The managers forbid any talk of phantom, but everyone, including them, was acting weird. Christine hoped this part and this play would be a chance for her and everyone else to get a break.  
But Carlotta was late, and it made her worry that maybe the problems were only starting.  
Carlotta was usually the first one to arrive. Despite her atitude, full of herself and overconfident, she worked very hard to keep her position, practicing from early in the morning until late at night. Her absence in that day of all days couldn't be a good sign.  
A wave of relief spread in the opera house when the diva finally entered the auditorium.  
"Prima donna!", greeted André, his voice switching to the tone he used to flatter her. "Welcome! It is your great night!"  
Firmin offered her a hand to help her take the steps to the stage. She denied it.  
"Maybe you could change to your costume now?"  
"I know what to do, thank you.", she answered, harshly. Everyone turned to her.  
Her voice sounded hoarse and nasal. The managers, singers, dancers and staff members stared, not knowing how to say it.  
Monsieur Reyer was the first to speak.  
"Madame... your voice..."  
"What about my voice?", Carlotta asked, sounding challenging.  
"It's not good. What happened, Madame?"  
Carlotta looked as if she took a slap to her face. For a moment, no one dared to even breath.  
"I caught a cold."  
Firmin brought his hands to his forehead. André sighed loudly. Reyer covered his mouth.  
A stare from Carlotta made the small crowd that also watched look away and go back to their own business. Christine stood up from where she sat and took a few slow steps towards the scene.  
"She can't sing.", Reyer whispered.  
"Of course I can sing!", Carlotta raised her voice, but it made it sound worse. The managers frowned. Carlotta sighed. "Look, I am a professional. This is just a small inconvenience, I can-", her voice started fading. She swallowed. "I can sing my role just fine!"  
Firmin turned to André.  
"We can't show this to our public!", he whispered.  
André took a handkerchief to clean the sweat that started falling from his forehead.  
"It's happening. It's what _he_ said would happen. This is the disaster! The reviews tomorrow will be awful."  
"Shush. We can fix this. We only need to think!"  
Christine approached Carlotta, and softly touched her shoulder. A question was in her eyes.  
"Mademoiselle Daaé!", shouted André. "You know the role of the Countess, right?"  
Christine looked at Carlotta, and then back at the managers, and replied in an unsure voice:  
"Yes, but-"  
"Perfect! The role is yours tonight."  
Carlotta gave a loud sigh and left, in the direction of the dressing rooms. Christine followed her with her gaze until she disappeared in the corridor.  
"Daaé! Please come here so you can rehearse the role."  
Christine turned back to them.  
"I'm sorry, I- I can't do it."  
With this, she ran to the dressing rooms, ignoring the calls for her. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on Carlotta's door.  
"Come in."  
Christine opened the door, and saw Carlotta leaning on a chair, fanning herself.  
"What are you doing here? You should be rehearsing.", Carlotta's voice failed in the middle of the sentence but she kept speaking, ignoring it.  
"I came to see if you need anything.", Christine replied. "I will make you some tea."  
Carlotta held her arm.  
"Ask a maid."  
Christine nodded, and left the dressing room to look for a maid.  
Carlotta stared at the door until she came back.  
"So?"  
"I will not be playing any part tonight.", Christine explained, turning her back to Carlotta. She knew well what reaction she would receive.  
"You should be there, Christine!", if not for her sore throat, Carlotta would be shouting. "This is your chance!"  
"I don't want this. Not this way. The part is yours. There will be other chances."  
"The show must go on. Someone will have to sing it."  
"Well, it will not be me."  
Carlotta sighed, and slowly approached the younger woman. She gently placed a hand on her chin, turning her face slightly so they could look at each other.  
"Christine, I cannot sing on stage forever. Someone will have to take my place someday. And of everyone here, you are the best suited for it."  
"I want to sing with you, not in your place.", Christine put her hand over Carlotta's for a moment, before pulling away and walking to the dressing table. "Besides", she opened a drawer and took a paper from inside. Carlotta just watched. Christine raised the paper.  
A note, written in red ink with a poor calligraphy, signed with only two letters.  
"When were you going to tell me about this?"  
Carlotta tried to grab the paper from Christine's hand.  
"This doesn't concern you!"  
"My name is in here. Is this why you are suddenly talking about replacements? Who else knows of it, who else got them?"  
Carlotta finally managed to take the note. Christine looked at her with a sad expression.  
"This is just some nonsense. I didn't tell you because it's not important.", she said, her eyes low.  
"But you are not singing."  
"It's just a coincidence that I got sick today, Christine.", Carlotta tore the paper and threw it on the floor. "How many of these do you think I've received in my life? Anonymous critics, threats- I've seen it all. I don't care."  
Christine looked at the pieces of paper. She knew this was not the regular anonymous empty threats that Carlotta talked of. She saw him, spoke to him, and knew that he was real. That he was dangerous.  
But she couldn't tell Carlotta. She never told her of the Angel's voice, afraid she would sound silly and childish. Deep down, she has always known there was something wrong, but she needed to believe in something. She wanted to. And now it has gone so far, and she was both ashamed for being so easily deceived and scared of what he would do if she took one step out of the lines he drew.  
"Christine!", the older singer's voice took her out of her thoughts.  
"I'm sorry. What did you say?"  
"I said you should sing tonight.", Carlotta repeated. "And I am not saying this because some ghost told me to. I am saying this because I know you have the talent."  
"But I don't want to.", Christine replied.  
"You have to take the chances you have. Do you want to spend the rest of your days in the chorus?"  
"The chorus is not so bad.", Christine shrugged. "I'm already happy enough for being here."  
And it was not a lie. Lately, she felt like everyone was trying to tell her what to do, what path she should take. Christine knew Carlotta did this only out of care for her, but it still made her feel like she was losing control of her life. At least for tonight, she wanted that control back.  
The maid arrived with the tea. Christine made Carlotta lay on the small couch and poured her a cup. She took a chair to sit beside her as Carlotta drank.  
Carlotta's hand went to Christine's, and she started playing with her fingers.  
"I will be better by tomorrow. I promise.", Carlotta whispered.  
"I know you will, darling.", Christine leaned down to kiss her forehead.  
"Stop! Do you want to get a cold too?", Carlotta tried to pull away.  
"It doesn't matter. My part is silent, anyway.", Christine laughed.  
Carlotta gave her a fake slap, but couldn't help to laugh too. There was something in Christine's laugh that made it... contagious.  
"I should take you home.", Christine suggested.  
"Could you stay with me? Since you are not playing and I am very sick", Carlotta made a dramatic gesture. "and will need a lot of help."  
"I guess I have no choice. Someone has to make the sacrifice.", Christine replied, with her own dramatic gestures.  
Both woman laughed.


End file.
